Introduction

This is my favourite breakfast dish – wonderfully luxurious. Use only the very best, freshest smoked haddock, and preferably undyed.

Serves 4

Ingredients

300ml (½ pint)

milk

3

bay leaves

2

slices onion

6

black peppercorns

4 x 100g (4oz)

pieces of thick, undyed smoked haddock fillet

1 tbsp

white wine vinegar

4

eggs

2

English muffins

Good-quality hollandaise sauce, to serve

To garnish:

Coarsely crushed black peppercorns

A few

snipped fresh chives

Instructions

If making the hollandaise sauce, do this first (see instructions below). Keep it warm, off the heat, over a pan of warm water. Meanwhile, bring the milk and 300ml (½ pint) of water to the boil in a shallow pan. Add the bay leaves, onion, peppercorns and smoked haddock pieces, bring back to a simmer and poach for 4 minutes. Lift the haddock out onto a plate, peel off the skin and keep warm.

Bring about 5cm (2in) of water to the boil in a medium sized pan, add the vinegar and reduce it to a gentle simmer. Break the eggs into the pan one at a time and poach for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the muffins in half and toast them until lightly browned. Lift the poached eggs out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.

To serve, place the muffin halves onto four warmed plates and top with the haddock and poached eggs. Spoon over the hollandaise sauce and garnish with a sprinkling of crushed black pepper and chopped chives.

To make hollandaise sauce, put 2 tablespoons of water and 2 egg yolks into a stainless steel or glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk until voluminous and creamy. Remove the bowl from the pan and gradually whisk in 225g (8oz) warmed clarified butter until thick.Whisk in the juice of ½ lemon, cayenne pepper and salt. This will make enough to serve 4.